House Finch

Status Rare vagrant and possible resident. The species first appeared in 1978 when an adult male arrived at Beulah Berman's feeder in Barrington Passage, Shelburne County, on 13 April. On 15 April a male and a female, later joined by another female, came to the feeders kept by Eric and Barbara Ruff and by Dorothy Kirk in Yarmouth. The birds stayed for weeks to be admired by many, and the bird at Barrington Passage was photographically confirmed (photographs were sent to National Museum of Canada). Another female appeared on 24-26 May 1978 at West Pubnico, Yarmouth County (Ted D'Eon et al.). Since then, there have been 23 reports involving some 47 individuals (not counting probable "repeats"), among which about 15 have been in Yarmouth, 8 in the Pubnicos, 4 in the Halifax area, 8 on Seal Island, 5 on Brier Island, 3 in Tatamagouche, Colchester County, 2 in Paradise, Annapolis County, and 1 each from Barrington, Shelburne County, and Wolfville. These birds have been seen in all months of the year, but most have first appeared in April or late autumn.

Remarks This finch is easily recognized. The male has a deep red bib, forehead and rump, and the striped female lacks the distinct eyebrow and dark face patch of female Purple Finches.

House Finches have spread in eastern North America since their release in New York City in 1940. As Austin (1961) describes it: "In 1940 cage-bird dealers in southern California shipped numbers of these birds, caught illegally in the wild, to New York dealers for sale as 'Hollywood finches.' Alert agents of the Fish and Wildlife Service spotted this violation of the International Migratory Bird Treaty and quickly put an end to the traffic. To avoid prosecution the New York dealers released their birds. The species was soon noted in the wild on nearby Long Island, and it has slowly been increasing its range ever since."

A bird on Seal Island on 2-3 November 1980 (B. Mactavish) was evidently a "pale variant" male, the red replaced by bright buff.